Online Platform for Facilitating Communication with Elected Officials
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of communicating with elected officials is often burdensome and difficult for constituents, requiring extensive information and multiple steps, which can deter individuals from engaging in the communication process, especially at local and state levels.
Innovation Solution
An online platform that facilitates communication between individuals and elected officials by geocoding addresses to identify relevant officials, allowing users to choose methods such as phone calls, emails, or Twitter messages, and tracks advocacy actions for analytical purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional webform methods are used to contact elected officials, then communication can be established, but the process becomes burdensome and difficult requiring extensive information and multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the communication process into distinct phases: (1) user inputs minimal information (phone number and issue), (2) the server autonomously identifies relevant elected officials using geocoding and database lookup, (3) the system generates and sends pre-filled emails or connects phone calls automatically. This segmentation removes the burden of form-filling from the user while maintaining comprehensive communication capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary server system that mediates between the user and elected officials. This intermediary automatically performs tasks including: looking up user location via geocoding, identifying relevant officials, retrieving their contact information, generating pre-filled emails, and managing communication routing. The intermediary absorbs the complexity of the communication process while presenting a simple interface to users.
2Productivity
If comprehensive contact information is collected from users, then communication can be facilitated, but the effort and time required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions automatically before the user needs to contact an official: it pre-looks up the user's location using geocoding services, pre-identifies the relevant elected officials, pre-retrieves their contact information and office details, and pre-fills communication templates with user-provided issues. This preliminary automation eliminates the need for users to manually gather this information during the contact process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service communication by automatically matching users with their representatives and generating ready-to-send emails or connecting phone calls without human intervention. The server autonomously handles information retrieval, official identification, and communication routing, allowing users to simply state their issue and receive immediate assistance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple contact methods are provided, then user engagement increases, but system complexity increases to manage different communication channels
Solution Approach 1:
The server system is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse communication methods through a unified architecture. It can generate and send pre-filled emails, initiate phone calls to official offices, connect users to social media accounts, and provide text-based communication options. The system universally processes user requests regardless of the preferred contact method, managing complexity internally while presenting versatile options to users.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing an online platform that enables an organization to provide information to interested individuals are described. The organization requests individuals to contact elected officials to express support, rejections or comments for specific issues. The online platform determines an advocate's elected official(s) and facilitates a communication connection between the advocate and an elected official(s). Geocoding is performed using the individual's street address and zip code to obtain geographical coordinates, and the coordinates are geomatched to district matching databases to determine the individual's elected officials. The individual selects a preferred method of connecting, and the platform enables and facilitates the connection. Further, the platform tracks and analyzes actions taken by advocates, provides analytical data about advocacy campaigns initiated by organizations, and also rates advocates based on the actions taken and the method by which the actions were taken to advocate for issues.